What is causing the erratic weather?

A number of times I have posted about the unusal weather we have had, from the late Fall snowstorm to the warm dry winter and early Spring—which has retreated a bit here in the Northeast, as this week has seen more normal temperatures and even a hard frost. According to an article in Wednesday's New York Times, scientist are looking at the Arctic ice as possible reason for the change.

Now, we know that there has been a decline in sea ice in the Arctic, but the big unanswered question is how the decrease in ice is affecting the global climate. Researchers are starting to look at the relationship between less ice/more dark open water and the weather. The New York Times article does a much better job of explaining this than I can. All I can say is stay tuned . . .

This is very interesting. I live in California and I normally spurn the coming of spring and summer because it is so hot. I like it cold, dreary, and rainy. In San Diego, we hardly get any winter at all. But this year we have had a long, cold, rainy winter. I am growing tired of it, especially in the chilly early mornings! For the first time in my life I am craving the heat!

It does make me wonder if something is changing about our weather pattern.